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Crazygrass Strawberry 'tweener, spring 2008
After years of coming to the world famous Strawberry Music festival as jammers, Crazygrass finally got their break when the festival director asked them to play a “tweener” set between John Cowan (wow) and Ricky Skaggs (also wow).
Crazygrass featured Sid Lewis on the banjo, Gary Dutra on guitar, Johnny Lombardo on bass, and Dave Breed playing the "drum bike". Special thanks to "Mendo" David McDowell for drum techie expertise!
Crazygrass headlining at Strawberry or bust!!
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The All Is One Festival
On Sunday, March 30th, Crazygrass had the honor of being the last band at the 1st annual All Is One Festival. Created by local musicians Alli and Matt Battaglia (who have their own wonderful band (see www.allibattaglia.com) the event also featured the fine sounds of many local acts, including The Resonators, Dylan’s Dharma, The marquesa versola trio, and many more.
Crazygrass also thanks the generous effort of local photographers Christian Vigneri, Marirose Dunbar, and Curt Pope, who’s pictures appear below.
We hope to be back next time, rock on!
The downtown Chico crowd get;s revved up... | 
What a great place to have a concert! | 
Johnny get's into the zone | 
Sid Lewis picks a fast one | 
Dave Breed is the penultimate bluegrass drummer | 
Psychedelic jamgrass on the electric Crazy-Banjo! | 
Crazygrass guitarist Gary Dutra adds the funk | 
Crazygrass supplies all your nutritional needs! | 
Pick it, Sid! | 
Jeff Daub gets Crazy on his horn... | 
Yes, that's right, this is Horny-Grass! | 
Gary Dutra is the first guitarist Crazygrass couldn't scare away! | 
Rockin the Plaza | 
Sid Lewis gives the Plaza audience a blast of grass | 
Crazygrass is the bluegrass your parents warned you about! | 
Sid Lewis is the Bela Fleck of Chico | 
Dave Breed is also the Bela Fleck of Chico | 
JD is just horny (kiddin, JD, let's jam more!) | |
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Flashback Ball
A benefit concert for KZFR community radio and 60’s costume ball, the 1st annual show on Saturday December 29th 2007 featured the music of local bands Crazygrass (with Sid Lewis), Swamp Zen (with Doug Stein, Saul Henson, “Snake” Holmes, Curtis Peldo, Gary Dutra, Mike Waltz etc) and The Chris Schadt Band (featuring Dorrie!).
The show aslo featured the legendary light skills of Steve Goldsmith and Liquid Lights from SF.
“I wanted to show that the “old school Chico hippy crowd” is still alive and kicking”, said promoter Sid Lewis “And boy did we! We had over 400 in audience at any given time, all dressed up and going nuts. I like to think of the Flashback Ball as a continuation of energy from similar shows in the past, like the Family Freak Fest (by Curtis Peldo and Doug Stein, et al), the Cascade Full Moon Festival (by Candis Burton and Laughing Sun Presents). Chico has a huge underground of cool funky freaks, they just seem to have gone into hiding lately, and I can’t blame them. With the Flashback Ball we said: We’re still here, and we’re ready to ROCK!”
The crowd gathers | 
Dave Silva is a GOD | 
So is Doug Stein | 
Setting up | 
sound check... | 
Steve gets liquid on the lights | 
Chris Schadt sparks it up | 
the shirt (we still have some) | 
The Schadt Dog lays it down | 
Gonzo from Chingus kills it with the CSB | 
Dorrie! | 
Austin and his sexy assistant (or, Dan and Lora) | 
the coveted backstage pases | 
Jody sees YOU! | 
Crazygrass fans get their groove on | 
Sid gets goin | 
Johny rests, Silva doesn't | 
Sid is Bela Fleck's evil Mini Me | 
The Flashback hotties! (Lora, Renay and Alyson) | 
They're going NUTZ! | 
Jeff Daub steps up | 
Sid likes to get jiggy | 
Stein launches | 
BABES! | 
The villagers scream for blood | 
Swamp Zen cranks it | 
in the back of the band van | 
the abused guest list | 
Chico audiences are the BEST! | 
the collectors poster (print this out!) | 
Sid really looked like this at the show | 
making the babes swoon (with a flippin banjo!) | 
Master Gravy (Brian Asher, also the poster artist) | 
Sid goes with it | 
Snake is the rock | 
Saul leads the pack | 
GO! | 
Still hangin | 
Flashback! | 
Saul | 
Sid and Hoffman trade old stories | 
Silva and Johnny almost kiss | 
It's...Banjovi! | 
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Happy drummer | 
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Joe Craven, Way Out West and Crazygrass
On December 1st, 2006, Chico was once again able to give a rousing welcome to Joe Craven and his band Way Out West. Crazygrass opned the show, and the Chico Serenity Center was wall to wall...thanks Joe Craven, Bill Edwards, Tracy Walton and all the GREAT volunteers! Once again, pictures by Sid, Renay and the lovely Mary J...also big thanks to Wayne Mullen, Alan Sheckter with the Enterprises Record and Alec Binyon with the Chico News and review! Party!
Sid launches Crazygrass into the grassosphere! | 
Sid and Johnny schmooze with Diva Tracy Walton | 
Janet and Joe chewing cud | 
Dale keeps it sounding unlike Jouney | 
The fire tender/baby sitter | 
the familys arrive (Sid Lewis does FAMILY SHOWS, remember?) | 
DONT go toward THIS light... | 
Security guy Frank | 
Joe starts to snap | 
Way Out West...just like the old days, only BETTER! | 
The wonderfull audience at the Chico Serenity Center | 
Cody Craven gits on up | 
Joe and Cody do-woppin | 
Sid and Beer-Babe Carin | 
KZFR was representin! | 
The Beer Babes: Carin and Oakley...buckle up! | 
At soundcheck the day before: Dave Silva gets winsome | 
soundcheck the day before: Sid is too happy | 
Dave sound checks all his cymbals (Sid loves them) | 
Crazygrass in the groove | 
Gettin jiggy | 
Johnny cuts a rug | 
Renay the door goddess also rescues stray toddlers | 
Doing things that sould't be done to bluegrass | 
It's never enough | 
Grass N Roll! | 
Johnny cuts the cheese | 
From the back | 
The merch booth (come git yer CD's!) | 
Bill Edwards sure can spin a yarn! | 
Joe finds the note | 
The psychedelic Serenity Stage | 
Cody Craven and Johnny get looped on cool aid | |
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Chico World Music Festival 2006
Crazygrass just LOVES the music festivals! Here we are at the Chico World Music Festival 2006 (thanks Dan Dewayne and all the great CWMF crew). Crazygrass tore it up on September 24, 2006 out on the CSU lawn, playing both inside and outside to a packed audience. Go Chico!!
(Thanks again to Mary J for the great pics, and all the Crazyheads)
Sid kicks it off | 
Dave gets the sound dialed | 
(Johnny hair REALLY IS like that) | 
Johnny gets a'rockin | 
Dave Silva Knows how to make the girls cry | 
Shredding it up on the main stage | 
This is the place! | 
Chico audiences relaxing to Crazygrass | 
Then they followed is inside! | 
Crazyheads | 
More Crazyheads | 
Even more Crazyheads! | 
The bands... | 
What a great place to hear music | 
Until next time...(have Crazygrass at your next party!!) | |
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Strawberry Music festival, Fall 2006
Great Googly Moogly! This was OUTRAGEOUS! A Crazygrass "delegation" of Sid Lewis and Johnny Lombardo were dispatched to scout out the latest Strawberry scene, and were blown away by the amazing line up and jam....among the stars were Sam Bush, Joe Craven (with Way Out West!), Pat Flynn (Newgrass Revival), John Cowan, Roseanne Cash, Jerry Douglas, and more!
Sid Lewis also taught his Jamming 101 Workshop (see www.jamming101.com) there as well. If you haven't, you gotta go!
Sid and Johnny while away the time while the van cools down | 
Chillin at the Jammin 101 headquarters | 
playing the Forks! | 
new best freinds | 
Pickin | 
Dave-O gets down | 
In Sid's mind, it's always like this | 
fastest camera in the west | 
Strawberry babes! | 
Cactus Bob and a Cow-picker get down | 
Cactus Bob sure knows how to toss a Party! | 
Bob conducts | 
Bob n Sid get sultry | 
Sid n Pam get sultry too | 
Still at Camp Obey Bob | 
Muddy tries out his new human-music-stand | 
Joe Craven (right before possesion) | 
Joe Craven (directly after possesion) | 
Sid and Johnnys new fave singer in the whole world Tracy! | 
Jen and John pickin a lick | 
Jen with the new Survival Tunes book! (available at www.acousticcollege.net) | 
Sid n Mary (the Vita-Vod lady) | 
Muddy Barnes | 
Jamming 101 | 
youngest jammer at Sid's class | 
Debby (Mountain Music Diva) gets down on the Cello | 
Jammin on the Cheek-itar | |
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The 1st Annual Bands For Beds
This was the first of what will hopefully be an annual event from now on....by the way, we need more pictures of this! if you have any, send them...
-Sid
Sid starts to yodel | 
Dave the drummer finds something amusing (easily) | 
Sid tells what time it is | 
Silva sings | | | |
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Crazygrass at Moxies Cafe
Crazygrass loves Moxies. That’s about it! Thanks to Jan, John “Goldmind”, and all the other fine feathered crew, we ALWAYS have a great night here! This gig was only the second with championship fiddler Melissa Copenhaver, and she single-handedly brought down the house (although Sid Lewis wasn’t too shabby either, and the rest the band is no chopped liver)
We also got to meet Mel’s husband, Mel (no, not a misprint, they actually have the same name). What a night!
The Crazyheads (fans) arrive | 
more Crazyheads | 
more Crazyheads | 
The band starts to launch | 
gaining altitude... | 
Even more Crazyheads | 
Now we're rockin! | 
All ages dig Crazygrass! | 
Sid starts revving up | 
Crazygrass thru the looking glass! | 
Beer (mmm) | 
The pickin heats up | 
Sid and Mel try to figure out what the hell is going on | 
Sid and Mel hit some harmonies | 
A future Crazyhead! | 
Mel ROCKS! | 
Mel ROCKS! | 
Crazygrass is a FAMILY event... | 
The band takes a huddle | 
huddling | 
Cookies | 
and babies | 
and more of Mel ROCKING! | 
The dance team gets on the floor... | 
4 Fingers bombs the bass | 
Sid pickin and a'grinnin | 
Crazyheads rule! | 
Sid and bluegrass percussion dude Robert Herzbrun | 
Moxies staff are truly the SEXIEST! | 
We made $12 each that night... | 
Sid discusses strategies with manager Don Dickson | | | |
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Chico Concert in the Park, summer of '06
Every Friday the City if Chico hold a concert with local bands in the Downtown Park. Unfortunately the “new” Downtown Park is was not done in time for Crazygrass, but they played anyway in the Children’s Park and ROCKED THE HOUSE!!
DCBA babe Carissa said the following: “The crowd really enjoyed your awesome music, I don’t think they could get enough! I must say it was one of the biggest turnouts we’ve seen this concert season!”
Crazygrass says: “Yeh, dig it. Y’all keep throwing CG the mic, cuz we’ll be bussin more rhymes like old times!”
Johnny 4 gets his groove on | 
the twirlers begin to twirl | 
What a great place to see a show!! (even if it isn't as cool as cement...) | 
Crazyhead | 
Chico Childrens Park is not just for children... | 
Every band needs a clown! | 
Johnny "4 Fingers" Lombardo and David Silva tear the woof off the place! | 
Sid starts a'pickin... | 
Dave Breed is the subtlest of drummers... | 
What, howcome Johnny gets in so damn many pictures?! | 
Anothewr Crazyhead (which, to clarify, is the nick name for fans of Crazygrass. Not to insinuate in any way that they're nuts) | 
Band mom Renay | 
The stage (thanks DCBA and BTS) | 
CrazyFans are a varied lot | 
Playing "dance-ball" | 
Crazyheads are COOL! | 
Crazygrass rockin out (have them at your Bar Mitzvah) | 
Silva rips a lick | |
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Tehama Gold Freedom Dance II
The Freedom Dance II, spring 2006 was a BLAST!!! Held out in scenic Paskenta (past Corning and Flournoy in the rolling foothills) on the beautiful wek
end of April 28-30 , this was a true tribal gathering! Thanks to everyone who generously donated their time, including Susie Lawing (head Goddess), Teresa, Amanda, Brian Hudson, Reid Seibold, Chris Grey, Dan Casamajor, and all the bands who played for the sheer love of playing!!
The "Freedom Dance Commitee" | 
The tribe starts to twirl.... | 
The Freedom Dance! | 
The Freedom Dance! | 
The Freedom Dance stage (thanks to Chris Grey and crew!) | 
Susie Lawing, head Goddes and Freedom Dance mama | 
Bob breaks out the New Age rock... | 
The vegan cafe (yum) | 
One of the many camps under the majestic valley oaks | 
Drummers thumping | 
The legendary tree drum arrives! | 
tree drums are FUN! | 
Mando Michael gets ready for the big show | 
Jack Schadt arrives | 
meadow goddess | 
Sid Lewis and Doug Stein share a moment | 
what an amazing spot.... | 
Two earth mama's | 
sundown on the farm... | 
The lovely Rita | 
making our own shirts! | |
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Crazygrass Strings at Monks Wine Lounge
This is our new favorite "jazz" club! Thanks to Tuscan Ridge Wines and Colleen, kelly and Dusty, Crazygrass has a GREAT time and everybody got happy. Special guests included Doug Stein, Jonathan Stoyanoff and Sid Walker (for the inaugural flight of the Smokin Yoda), and Dan Casamajor did a great job with the sound. Keep checking back on the "listen" page for live tracks! We thank evryone who made it out (thanks Nicole, thanks Stephanie..)and we look forward to jammin there again.....
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Saint Patricks Day at the Serenity Center
Crazygrass and Puddle slosh it up for the Irish in all of us.....(Thanks again to the kind folks at the Serenity Center, Bob Seals et al, Doug and Jen, Mary J, Renay, Matt-Becky-Dave, Gravy, Curtis, and all the Chico fans, you know who you are!!)
Matt Becky and Dave kick off the evening | 
the soundman gets the bass going far another Crazygrass party | 
Crazygrass gets ready to make more bluegrass gone mad! | 
Chico jam bands here we come! | 
Drummer Dave begins to rock.. | 
Sid and Dave start having some St Patricks fun! | 
Sid plays it safe woth his new banjo helmet (getting ready for the Cammies!) | 
The rythm section figures it out.. | 
Country Bluegrass Reggae Alt Disco heavy metal drummer Dave | 
The Crazygrass-Puddle fans start to swarm.. | 
Chico party band dancers ROCK! | 
Crazygrasshoppers! | 
Crazygrasshoppers! | 
Crazygrasshoppers! | 
Crazygrasshoppers! | 
More legends start to gather (Road Raisin!) | 
Dance party devotees... | 
Irie! | 
groovin | 
The lovely door maiden | 
Doug Stein kicks it into gear | 
Puddle rcoks Chico again (lets do this more!) | 
still rockin... | 
Groovy jam psychedelic Chico time.. | 
Gravy (Brian Asher) shows he's still the six string boss man! | 
Gravy and Bob split the licks... | 
Tickling those ivories | |
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Moxies Rocks!!!!
Once again, Crazygrass brought down the house at legendary Folk Venue Moxies Cafe, run by longtime Chico music supporter Jan Beifelt. Thanks Jan! This time, Crazygrass played as the paired down "Crazygrass String Band", featuring Weaverville fiddler Sid Walker and Dave Breed playing the worlds only mobile drum kit, the "Drum-Cycle".
Special guests were John Glick (slide guitar) and ex-Global Funkster Jonathan Stoyanoff (galactic bass). Also on the team were Stephanie Haverlock and Brian "the mechanic" Hudson (running the door), John Senior doing the sound, lights from R.E.C, and the rockin crew of Moxies. Viva live music!!
We have the best looking fans of ANY band! | 
Crazygrass String Band warms up.... | 
...and launches! | 
The hall fills up (whew!) | 
More beautiful fans (we LOVE you guys!!) | 
Now we start having some fun! | 
Jan pours some fine wine! | 
pickin by the bricks | 
bass monster Jonathan tells us what time it is | 
gettin down | 
Good friends get happy | 
the legendary "Drum-Cycle" | 
Chad spreads the cheer....! | 
Moxies Cafe and Gallery, Chio, CA | 
Fiddle fans come to see Walkers fancy bowing | 
more Chico legends! | 
Hey, it | 
tiny fans get down! | 
Crazygrass starts to heat up... | 
Crazgrass Mnado-Cadet Ryan tells an innapropriatte joke | 
Sid concentrates on a fiddle tune | 
Sid and John Glick jam it up | 
Now we | 
Sid tries for the high note | 
Intermission..hey, people are staying! | 
The encore.... | 
the reverend Moon Dog gets down! | |
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Playing at the Sierra Cascade Blueberry Farm
We are continually amazed at the places music brings us, for example an organic blueberry farm in the hills of Forest Ranch! After driving through miles of muddy backroad we met the funnest folks ever, and played acoustic in their barn while it stowmed outside!
Thanks to the Sierra Cascade crew for having a good old Crazygrass shin dig!
The band warms up | 
What an attentive crowd (of course it was flooding outside) | 
pickin by the heater | 
Dave playing under the bats (yes, there were bats flying around!) | 
Sid n Johnny tear it up | 
Sid picks a lick | |
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Benifite Concert for Reid Seibold, January 27 2006
Our good friend and long time Chico good guy Mr Reid Seibold (the batik guy, among other things) recently had some unfortunate medical news. Chico came to the rescue with the jan 27 concert at the Chico Womens Center! Thanks to Amanda Bosschart and Ann Noble for spearheading this amazing evening, as well as Syb Blythe (Womens Center) and Mary J for archiving all this! With the music of Beltain, Crazygrass and Puddle Junction and sound By Dale Price, this was truly a legendary Chico show. We whish Reid all the best in his healing and urge anyone interested in helping futher to contact Ann Noble at (530) 894-1734 and let her know how you whish to help. Also thanks to Spener for the write up!
see http://www.chicoer.com/buzz/ci_3465230
Thanks, Chico, you're GREAT!!
-Sid
The place | 
Getin | 
the best audiences in the WORLD: Chico! | 
the best audiences in the WORLD: Chico! | 
the best audiences in the WORLD: Chico! | 
the best audiences in the WORLD: Chico! | 
the best audiences in the WORLD: Chico! | 
the best audiences in the WORLD: Chico! | 
Mud Creek Kenny! | 
Crazygrass jams for the people | 
The bartenders (they ROCKED!) | 
Don sez SHHHHH | 
Bob gets trancy | 
Crazygrass kids! | 
Chowtime!! | 
Chowtime!! | 
Doug | 
in the kitchen (you guys are amazing!) | 
John and Susan admire their new Crazygrass CD | 
Johnny Renay and Susan get to know eachother better | 
boiling up the pasta | 
Secund Naychur start the evening out mellow | 
Sid launches! | 
The bands grab some grub.. | 
Puddle Junction! | 
Puddle Junction! | 
Puddle Junction! | |
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Crazygrass at the Serenity Center, Friday the 13th
Crazygrass extends a heartfelt thank you to all who helped with this extraordinary evening! If you see yourself in one of the pics, please go to our "contact us" page and tell us who you are, and that you love the pic! A big thank you to Chico mover-shaker Bob Seals for hosting this show, hopefully many more to come. (Please see www.chicoserenitycenter.com on our link page). Among many others, thanks to Mary J and fam for the fine pics, Doug, jen, Stephanie and Renay for door help, Grazy and the denizens for their patience, Matt and Dave and Becky for the opener, Alli Battaglia for the intermission music,
Rod and Robin for parking, Brian Hudson for stagehandery, KZFR Radio (Koz McKev, Dan, Rick, Laurie, and the rest)and all the amazing dancers/audience! We hope to see y'all very soon........
Bob Seals, Serenity Center founder and Doug | 
Where its at | 
What it is | 
Matt and Dave (and Becky) open the show | 
Crazygrass revs up | 
Drummer Dave pilots the Drumcycle (1/2 drums 1/2 unicycle) | 
The Crazygrass fans arrive! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Future Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
DOug, Jen and Johnny on the p | 
Roadie Jay | 
Kids roamed the wild.. | 
the Star dancer of the evening! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Crazyheads! | 
Alli Battaglia rocks the intermission | 
More great dancers! | 
Jennifer! | |
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New Years 2006, Stormies Bar
Thanks to everyone, Crazygrass New Years 2006 at Stormies was a rager!
Crazygrass launches.. | 
Doug Stein chills before he rocks | 
Johnny channels the bass lines... | 
Renay and Susan get happy | 
Sid and Sid tear it up (Sid Lewis and Sid Walker) | 
Silva picks the big guitar | 
More happy fans | 
Swamp Zen, Chicos remaining Jam Band! | 
Stormys, the place to be (2007?) | 
Sid Walker with his new hat | 
Singin and a-pickin | 
Dave gets hot | 
Our favorite New Years Pic! (thanks Pam!) | 
The less "Happy" side of New Years 2006: flooding! here | 
Woodsen Bridge | |
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Summer Festivals (so many!!)
Crazygrass has played more music festivals than we have room to talk about, but we've picked some hilights that follow. (see links page for more on these events)
Crazygrass headlines on the Americana Stage at High Sierra Music Festival (THAT was a party!) | 
Playing the California WorldFest (with special Guest Radim Zenkl!) | 
Sid leading a "song circle" at High Sierra | 
Hangin with Worldfest staff (they are the COOLEST!) | 
Guitar God Tommy Emmanuel destroys a perfectly good guitar at California Worldfest | | |
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Jamming, Jamming , Jamming!
Crazygrass came from, and will probably go back to, the "cozmic jam", where everybody sits around and plays till the cows come home!
Following are the various picker friends thru the ages, from past bands to festival pals. Thanks to all of you for being part of the song!!
Mando stud Scott Wylie and Sid pickin | 
At High Sierra with songstress Rachel Sedacca | 
Your typical Strawberry afternoon jam | 
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The new Album: in the studio
As of this writing (Late Dec '05) Sid and Crazygrass are in full pruduction of the outcoming CD, "Back on the Grass" (refering to getting back to their bluegrass roots, of course). This new sound will be more old timey and bluegrass, and will feature several new special guests. Among them: Radim Zenkl (see link page), singer Jen Crumbaucher, Red Bluffian banjoist Ryan Cumpton and Chico "mouth music" wiz Whipple. We'll keep you posted as things develop...
The Hobart Smith old timey banjo played by Ryan...note the mouth harps adoring it (courtesy of Whipple) | 
Ryan Cumpton of Red Bluff lays down some Old Timey pickin | 
Dale adjusts the mic | 
Jen, Walker and Sid (vocals, fiddle and everything else) | 
The studio dog (AKA Tire Eater) | 
Undiscovered mouth harp wizard Whipple plays some "trance-grass" | 
Jenny who sang Loch Lomond on the new CD (wait till you hear it!!) | | | |
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The Oregon Country Fair (2005)
The true Big Daddy of outdoor music events, this thing has been going since the 70's and was started by the Merry Pranksters...and you can tell. Think Rennaisance fair meets burning man in the foggy forrests of Oregon. You gotta go...
The first day...(uh oh) | 
Onstage with Mr Craven and lovely belly dancers! | 
Belly Dancers (Susan and Renay) | 
Sid, Joe Craven and Greg go at it! | 
Hangin with king of all MC | 
Sid and Renay still up (4th day) | 
The Balloon Lady | 
Bike rack octagon? | 
This dragon popped up everywhere... | 
Here | 
Pickin in the mist.. | 
Wandering Poi girls, we jammed! | 
The Mud People (thats all they wore) | 
Sid feeling Oregonian | 
Sid and Dave rock on the baliphone | 
Sue with the OCF | 
Herds of stilt people were ever present... | 
This was too cool: a thatched goddess teepee! | 
One of the many tree forts (the sound booth was in one!) | 
Hangin out on the Mushroom Dome (Dave w hat, then Tracy and Sid) | | |
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The Crazygrass Tribe
Yeah, lots of stuff happened to get us all the way to the middle...
Dave around 400 BC | 
The 1st Crazygrass, circa 2003 (Featuring Bruce McMillan and Lancer Hardy)...we were happier than we looked! | 
The bands first meeting (ick) | 
Remember the "Jam Grass Revolution"? | 
Sid with "Jew-Grass" band the Klezzbillies (they still play Bar Mitzvahs and such) | 
Band groupie George Osama (he | 
Sid and Ton on the beach in Eureka | 
The "Lewis Brothers" band (they would be famous now if they just could have gotten along...) | 
The old days at Stormys with Bythos (fiddle) and Bobbie (drum) | 
Sid tries the 'lectric guitar...WOW, this could be FUN! | 
Sid chills with his computor guru Ron | 
Sid's lil bro Ton hangin in Humboldt | |
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KZFR Parties
KZFR community Radio in Chico is probably the single biggest reason this town is so cool (besides Bidwell Park)...We've played many occaisions for the station, here are some shots of various KZFR shindigs...
Jammin with Swamp Zen and the boys (Doug Stein, Rich Cockroft, Snake Holmes, Travis Hunter, Sid Lewis) | 
Dave rocks out for community radio | 
Sid rocks out for community radio | 
Sid Lewis and Snake Holmes..(the Sid and Nancy of bluegrass) | 
In the control booth @ KZFR with John DuBois and Laurie Niles (two of the "Pennies") | 
KZFR dancers! | 
KZFR family.. | | | |
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The Brookdale Bluegrass Festival (Winter 2005)
Held in a haunted mansion out side of Santa Cruz, CA, this festival is a real treat. Promoter Eric Burman has done a great job at creating one of the funnest informal music events ever...think "big bluegrass house party in a haunted house in the redwoods", see? (Thanks to Nicole for the pics!)
Crazygrass String Band tears it up | 
Drummer Dave bravely wears the new "Frankendrums"! | 
Johnny channels the bass lines... | 
Johnny the next morning | 
Sid gets happy | 
Jen Crumbaucher joins Crazygrass onstage | 
The two Sids tear it up | 
Dave Silva gets down | 
Sid Walker plays some haunting fiddle | 
After the show we went to Natural Bridge beach (Jay tried to punch a seagull) | 
The crew hagning out (L to R: Dave, Jen, Sid, Renay, Jay) | 
Neat trippy picture by the fire (good wall paper!) | |
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Craven and Lewis 2002
Sid's 2st show with the maestro Joe Craven was in 2002 at the Womens Center in Chico. Thanks to everyone who helped with this amazing production, including Dan DeWane, Dale Price (Electric Canyon Studios, see links, Pam Huggins, Syb Blythy, Chico News and Review, Pat Pape, etc, etc, etc)
See "Listen" page for free downloads from this show!
Dan DeWayne, MC extraordinaire! | 
Chico audiences...the best! | 
Joe insisted on walking in while playing, so they did... | 
Playing the bunt pan | 
Cody brings out the bird! | 
Sid had to compete with wardrobe... | 
Joe called him "Cousin It" | 
As if a bunt pan wasn | 
Pickin | 
and Pickin | 
Oh, and of course the water jug (great tone) | 
Joe hangs out with some of Sid's students after the show (L to R: Eli Rowe, Louie Barnett, Joe, Michael Heberle, Sid, Eric Jensen) | |
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Strawberry Times
Sid and his various incarnations have been going to the legendary Strawberry Music festival for the last 15 years...back from the early days with the Fire Monkeys at the Breakfast Club to Crazygrass Acoustic in Spring 1004, Strawbery Music festival is a mecca of music....
"Mens Crisis" Mike and Joe Craven shoot the breeze | 
Sid chillin with one of the Chili Cookoff cooks | 
Jammin with the Cowlicks | 
Stayin up with Jenny Blue | 
Strawberry ROCKS!! (Sid, Renay and Gregory) | 
Sid and Marty Dodd pickin (note the Yosemite sunset) | 
Marty and Renay share a moment | 
With Peppe D | 
Sid, Tracy and Jen | 
Sid teaching his "Jamming 101" class at Birch Lake (seewww.acousticollege.com) | 
Big mike tells another partially true story... | 
Joe Craven visits Jamming 101 (notice the suave wardrobe) | 
Railroad Earth drops by the camp to pick! | 
Cool strawberry bug | 
Jamming 101 | |
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Pickin with the stars
We've had the good fortune to pick with a few Super-Pickers, and a few of those jams are below:
Jammin with Hot Buttered Rum, Chico CA | 
Jammin with Hot Buttered Rum, Chico CA | 
Jammin with Tony Furtado (Been Scene in Chico) | 
Jammin with Tony Furtado (Been Scene in Chico) | 
Sid and Nor Cal legend Bhoddi Busick | 
Pickin with Dr. Dan Crary | 
Sid and Renay with Utah Phillips! | 
Sid pickin with dobro legend Rob Ickes and mr. Joe Craven (Craven and Ickes came thru Chico as a duo) | 
Sid hams it up with Craven and Ickes | 
Craven playing Dales cast (actually on the 2nd track of "21st Century Hillbilly Music"!) | 
Sid and Radim Zenkl tear it up... | 
Jammin with promoter and harmonica virtuoso Bob Litel (he | 
Sid picks a banjer tune with Hot Rize banjoist Pete Wernick (thanks again Brookdale!) | 
Sid and Joe Craven picking in the living room (kind of like a bluegrass museum) | | |
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The Trinity Tribal Stomp
This is simply the most wild organic festival we've ever played at!! The creation of promoter and full time human being Drew Franklin, this even has had such wonders as Joe Craven Django Latino, David Grisman, Michael Franti and now Crazygrass! For more on this amazing event see our link page...
The Crazygrass belly dancers | 
Crazygrass on the Main stage! | 
The sword gets close to Sid... | 
The Crazygrass Girls (Steph, Tracy, Renay and Tyanna) | 
Rockin and dancin | 
Johnny 4 and David Silva get down (uh huh) | 
The Crazygrass dancers put out! (good wallpaper here..) | 
What a great audience!! | 
At the Casbah Tent | 
Dave rocks out at Tribal Stomp 2004 | 
Sid and Smokey have some fun, Stomp 2004 | | |
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The Crazybanjo: It's birth and early encounters...
The Brain child of Sid Lewis, the vision for the Crazybanjo came into Sid's head one night after watching Star Treck reruns and wondering what kind of banjo a Klingon warrior would play. Also the need to play in rock bands with ROCK drummers (Dave) drove Sid to these desperate measures. He teamed up with student and Chico luthier Matt Brown, and what followed may change the face of bluegrass, and music, forever! Folloing are some commentaries by Matt thru the building process:
"...It is difficult to bring someone else’s vision to life, but that is what Sid asked me to do when he gave me the opportunity to built the Crazybanjo. I began taking guitar and mandolin lessons with Sid about the time I seriously began building musical instruments. The second mandolin I made impressed Sid for its volume and tone and it planted an idea in his head. After that, he played a few of the other guitars and mandolins I made and he began to believe I was up to the challenge of building his electric banjo. I, on the other hand, was not so sure. After a series of design negotiations and evolutions, I selected some Birdseye Maple, some hardware and pickups, and I got busy cutting wood.
That was the easy part, though. Not only are there precious few electric banjos to use as models, I didn’t know a thing about a banjo design and construction before I started. As I began to get acquainted with the ins and outs of the banjo, I recognized that the project would require diverse and varied skills—such as complicated wiring, drum making, and metalworking—that I had no opportunity to practice in making all-wood acoustic instruments. Laminating and lathe-turning the drum shell, in fact, and modifying a standard metal drum hoop so that it would sink into the body of the instrument was by far the most challenging aspect of this project.
Sid and I are still working out the details on the further evolution of the Crazybanjo, still trying to make it match the original and yet adapt to the new needs we discover as he plays it . We are making steady progress, though, and Sid has taken it on the road a few times and I think it will hold up—even to the abuse Sid seems to put his instruments through. Since it has been in Sid’s hands, Bela Fleck has played the Crazybanjo and it has made it onto the main-stage of several music festivals. One of the most rewarding moments for me, however, came when I was standing in the audience at the Trinity Tribal Stomp, and one of the sound guys walked up to me and said, “Hey, they told me you made that banjo, good work!” It is, indeed, a crazy banjo, and only a banjo maniac like Sid would play it, but I think it will suit him just fine!" -Matt Brown, Summer 2005
Solid body head hollowed out to fit the bongo head... | 
The "Crazybanjo" | 
As a banjo fetus | 
Sids "guitar-pelli" tattoo/12th fret inlay | 
This looks painfull (ask Matt whats going on here, I dont know) | 
Powertools for a powefull banjo... | 
Making the rim | 
Bela Fleck fondles the Crazybanjo | 
Sid approaches Bela with the Crazybanjo (security gets nervous) | 
Taking it to the stage...(it | 
Sid poses with his new toy (sexy) | 
Mug shot | 
Matt demonstrating the "whale tail" mark | 
the builder of the Crazybanjo Matt Brown hanging out with his baby (he and Sid share custody) | | |
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Sonora and Auburn Craft Fair with the
The "Do-It-Yourselfers" are: Joe Craven, Sean Feder, Sam Bevan and Sid Lewis. Whether or not this band is playing with this line up, then or now, is a true mystery of science, as well as how they git that good without proper rehearsal, but whatever, they ROCKED Sonora and Auburn! Here are some shots from the wonderfull producers of these events: www.fireonthemountainfestivals.com
The outdoor stage (brrrr) | 
Sid picks the flat top | 
The outdoor stage (still brrrr) | 
Tis the season! | 
Sid and Sam at 800 mph | 
The Do It Yourselfer | 
Sid hangs out with Magicians back stage (these guys are weird!) | | | |
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After hours with the DIY'rs
Jammin after the show at Richard Schollers house (thanks Richard! Great dinner!)
Sid picks the baskett | 
Sam and Cody chillin... | 
They actually rehearsed! | 
Ban-Joe! | 
Jammin late | 
Joe about to go on a gastrointestinal jouney with a large habanero...(for real) | 
Sean plays his Banjrum set | 
Sid and Joe share a fiddle tune in the front room... | | |
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